How long does an appraisal take?

If you're buying a home with a loan or refinancing your mortgage, many lenders require an appraisal.¹ A home appraisal report may take anywhere from 6 – 20 days to receive, from the day your lender orders the appraisal to the day you receive the report, though the timing isn’t set in stone and can vary. The visit itself can last between 30 minutes for a smaller property up to a few hours, or even longer for government-backed loans. The rest of the time in the appraisal process goes to research, writing, and review.

Below, we break down each stage, what can slow things down, and what happens once the report is in.

How long does a home appraisal take?

Most home appraisals take a few days to a few weeks from the time the lender contacts the appraiser to the time you see the report. The timing depends on the property, the local market, and the appraiser's schedule.

Some conventional loans skip the appraisal entirely. Eligible transactions may qualify for an appraisal waiver, or value acceptance, which removes the wait altogether. A related option, the desktop appraisal, lets an appraiser value the home using public records and photos instead of a full visit, which can shave days off the timeline.

A refinance appraisal follows roughly the same steps as a purchase appraisal. However, homeowners refinancing can usually be home for the visit, while buyers of a home they don't yet own aren't present during the appraisal.

What's the home appraisal timeline?

Here is the typical home buying path from accepted offer to finished report.

1. Ordering and scheduling (about 48 hours). Once your offer is accepted, your lender orders the appraisal. The appraiser typically reaches out within about two business days after the lender has ordered the appraisal to schedule the visit.
2. Completing the appraisal visit (30 minutes to a few hours). During a traditional appraisal, the appraiser will report on both the home's interior and exterior. Some loans allow a drive-by appraisal, where an appraiser only looks at the exterior of the property, or a desktop appraisal, which skips an in-person visit altogether. Rocket Mortgage does not offer desktop appraisals during the mortgage approval process.
3. Receiving the appraisal report (6 – 20 days from the start). After the visit, the appraiser researches comps, which are recent sales of similar nearby homes, and adjusts for differences in size, condition, and features. The finished report includes a market analysis alongside the home's condition. Your lender must give you a copy promptly after it's finished, or at least three business days before closing, whichever comes first.

What is a home appraisal?

A home appraisal is a professional, independent opinion of a home's fair market value. Lenders use it to confirm the property is worth enough to back the loan. The resulting number – in other words, the appraised value – can land above, below, or right at the contract price.

The result shapes your loan-to-value ratio (LTV), which compares your loan amount to the home's value. On a purchase, lenders use the lower of the appraised value or the contract price. A higher LTV can affect your mortgage rate since lenders price loans partly by LTV, and conforming loans above 80% LTV typically require mortgage insurance.

Buyers can protect themselves with an appraisal contingency, a contract clause that allows you to renegotiate or cancel if the appraisal comes in low. Without one, backing out could cost you your earnest money deposit.

Home appraisal vs. home inspection

A home appraisal and a home inspection serve different purposes. An appraisal estimates value for the lender; an inspection checks the home's condition for the buyer. An appraiser may note visible defects that affect value, but that isn't a substitute for a full home inspection.

Who pays for a home appraisal?

The buyer or refinance applicant usually pays for the home appraisal. Lenders typically require you to cover the fee, which, depending on the property and area, can range somewhere in the $350–$600 range for a standard single-family home, though it can be higher for larger, rural, or unusual properties. Government-backed loans, including VA loans, sometimes follow their own fee schedules that vary by market, which is why VA appraisal fees vary by location.²

What does an appraiser look for?

An appraiser looks at what drives value, and they rate a home's quality and condition on a set scale (Fannie Mae). The main things appraisers are looking at are:

• Exterior condition. The overall condition of the home, including landscaping, location, and maintenance.
• Interior condition. Square footage, room count, layout, and overall upkeep.
• Property extras. A view, outbuildings, or other extra features that can affect the value.
• Comparable sales. Recent sales of similar homes nearby, adjusted for differences in size, condition, and features, while also considering current market trends.

What can delay a home appraisal, and how can you prepare?

Most delays come from a more complex property, the appraiser's calendar, or missing information.

Property size and complexity

• Larger, pricier, or more unusual homes take longer to value, partly because appraising a high-value or highly customized property often calls for an appraiser with additional certification.
• Rural properties can add travel time, and homes with few nearby comparable sales are inherently harder to price.
• To prepare: share a list of upgrades, additions, and unusual features up front, and fix obvious safety issues before the visit; otherwise, necessary repairs the appraiser flags can make the report “subject to” completion or further inspection.

Appraiser workload, scheduling, and market activity

• Appraiser availability tightens during busy spring and summer buying seasons and during refinance waves, which can stretch turnaround past the typical timeline.
• Limited access to the home, such as a tenant who's hard to schedule, a locked gate, or an inaccessible crawlspace could add delays.
• To prepare: give your agent and lender flexible scheduling windows, make sure the appraiser can reach every room and any outbuildings, and respond to lender requests the same day.

Document preparation and appraisal readiness

• Appraisers need documentation of any renovations, especially during a refinance, since undocumented work can slow research or lead to a lower valuation. Poor curb appeal, an undesirable layout, or even location can also hurt an appraisal.
• To prepare: gather permits, receipts, and dates for major upgrades; repair small issues like broken fixtures or peeling paint; and tidy the yard and ensure clear access to utilities.

What happens after the appraisal?

Your next steps depend on how the appraised value compares with the price.

• When the appraisal matches or exceeds the sale price. Your lender can move ahead with underwriting and toward the closing process. A higher appraisal usually won't raise your loan amount, since lenders use the lower of price or value. Before closing, you'll get a Closing Disclosure, a form that lists your final loan terms and costs.
• When the appraisal comes in low. A low appraisal raises your LTV at the contract price, which may affect your loan amount, mortgage insurance, or the cash you need at closing. A home doesn't have to appraise for the selling price for the sale to go through, but you might need to cover the difference, often called an appraisal gap. Your options are to ask the seller to lower the price, pay the difference in cash, or back out of the offer if your contract allows. You may also be able to request a reconsideration of value (ROV), asking the appraiser to review additional comps.
• When the appraisal comes back “subject-to.” A subject-to appraisal values the home assuming specific repairs or completion work will be done or further inspected by a professional. Your lender will want proof the work is finished or the property condition is acceptable before the loan is finalized.

FAQ

Here are the answers to some common questions about home appraisals.

Do appraisals usually come back low?

Not all the time; most appraisals meet or exceed the contract price. Historically, roughly 7% to 9% of appraisals came in below contract price in a typical year, a rate that spiked during the pandemic-era housing price growth before returning to more normal levels. Low values are more likely when comps are scarce, prices are climbing fast, or the home is unusual in some way.

How long after an appraisal do you close?

Many buyers close within 30 days from their offer being accepted, including the appraisal, home inspection, final underwriting, clear to close, and the 3 business days between receiving your Closing Disclosure and closing. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, only about 6% of contracts in August 2026 were delayed due to appraisal issues. If delays do occur, or if you’ve been going through the refinance process, keep in mind appraisals also expire, so how long an appraisal is good for matters if there’s a delay in closing.

How long does underwriting take after appraisal?

The underwriting process can take at least a few business days after the lender receives the appraisal report, and depends on whether your lender needs additional documents, appraisal corrections, or other conditions resolved. The underwriter uses the appraisal report to confirm the home supports the loan amount, then works through any conditions. Conditional approval can add more time.

The bottom line: Appraisal timing can vary

A home appraisal typically takes anywhere from several days to a few weeks, around 6–20 days, and most of that time is out of your hands, relying on the appraiser's schedule and the lender's review. However, once the report clears your lender's requirements, you're not far from the finish line. If you're getting ready to make an offer or are interested in refinancing, head to Rocket Mortgage to get a head start on the process.

¹Refinancing may increase finance charges over the life of the loan.  

²Rocket Mortgage is a VA-approved lender, not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, medical, legal, financial, investment, or tax advice. You should consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. Consumers should independently verify that any services, products, or programs referenced meet their needs and comply with applicable requirements.

Rocket Mortgage is a trademark or service mark of Rocket Mortgage LLC or its affiliates